Why House Lifting Isn’t Always a Perfect Lift
Did you know you can have your house lifted? It’s true, and there are several good reasons homeowners seek out this service. Those in flood-prone areas may want to get to higher ground. There may also be structural problems that require extensive foundation repair, or the home may experience deflection – the bending of rafters, trusses, or joists associated with overloaded structures.
While house lifting can cure many issues, such as restoring structural soundness to pass a home inspection, there rarely is such a thing as “the perfect lift.” Here’s a realistic look at what the process entails and what your expectations should be.
Goal of House Lifting
In most cases, if done properly, house lifting can achieve great results. However, the goal should be structural soundness and not necessarily perfection. Many factors come into play, like the age of the home and how well the original foundation was constructed. The ground is constantly moving and changing, causing houses to shift. Some houses are too big and heavy; regardless of what some say, there is no tool or mechanical device that can safely lift them. The best you can do is process stabilization in these situations. You can imagine that this is not an inexpensive undertaking. Getting a home back to its perfect state may require an investment of work and money that’s not worth the result.
Impact of House Lifting
Lifting your house may also cause some cosmetic issues, including:
Separation of hardwood floors
Floors and drywall may become cracked or damaged
Trim work – crown molding, baseboards, shoe molding, and door casing – can shift and move
Granite could become damaged
One issue we see from time to time is the result of repairs made without first stabilizing the home. These repair areas may stand out and have to be redone if the house is lifted. The need for a house lift could have been avoided if the contractor had repaired the structure correctly. The good part is that house lifting usually results in little or no damage to the exterior – such as cracking or separation in mortar joints or cracking in the brick, concrete block, or stone – depending on what type of veneer the home has, if any.
Why Not a Perfect Level
So why can’t a home be restored to its original position or level? Every situation is unique, but a key factor is the age of the home and how long it has been unsound and deflected. It could also be that the house was framed improperly on the interior from the start. Additionally, wood forms memory, so a home that has had deflection for 20 years will have the framework molded to this state. The wood cannot be physically reformed without causing damage to the framework itself. This often happens with historic properties built before modern codes and standards of craftsmanship were established.
The good news is a home can be completely safe and structurally sound without being perfectly level. There really isn’t an established metric or code for how much of a slope is acceptable. If you are considering house lifting, beware of false guarantees often made by unscrupulous companies that will say practically anything to make a sale. We are often hired to address mistakes and poor workmanship by such companies after they fail to follow through with the expectations set. The truth is that it is impossible to guarantee a perfectly level situation. As always, if you have any further questions, we are here to help.